The Washington Commanders will make a sizable decision on Thursday when they select a new franchise quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and J.J. McCarthy are all in contention to be Washington's next signal-caller. Arguments can be made for all three prospects, but the Commanders should draft Maye, who's the second-best quarterback in this class behind Caleb Williams.
Daniels has been the odds-on betting favorite for weeks. A social-media-related kerfuffle involving Daniels' agent and the Commanders' decision to host multiple quarterbacks on official 30 visits simultaneously has brought their chemistry into question, though. Nobody truly knows which quarterback the Commanders plan on drafting.
Maye entered the 2023 college football season as the consensus second-ranked quarterback prospect in the nation and I didn’t see anything throughout the campaign to change my mind. Maye indeed took a step backward statistically from his breakout 2022 campaign. He completed 2.9% fewer passes (66.2% versus 63.3%), threw for 713 fewer yards (4,321 versus 3,608), had 14 fewer touchdowns (38 versus 24), and two more interceptions (seven versus nine). Maye must shoulder the majority of the blame, but a weakened supporting cast also led to the downgrade in production. Three supporting members of the offense were drafted following 2022. We're projecting that Tez Walker will be the lone non-Maye offensive playmaker from the Tar Heels to be drafted this year.
Betting on Maye's traits would be a worthwhile investment for the Commanders. He's today's quarterback. The Tar Heel standout maneuvers the pocket with outstanding effectiveness. Maye is a Josh Allen-like playmaker out of structure and outside the pocket. His ability to extend plays with his legs keeps opposing defenders honest.
Maye is also an effective quarterback from within structure and the pocket. He's a multi-speed thrower that alters pace and tempo as required. Maye possesses the arm strength and velocity necessary to access all three levels of the field. Maye drives passes into tight windows. Receiving threats such as Jahan Dotson and Terry McLaurin would appreciate that.
Maye isn't a perfect quarterback prospect. The Huntersville, North Carolina native tends to constantly search for big-time plays, which leads to occasional sloppy footwork. That mentality will serve him well in a pass-happy league that's all about creating explosives, but it also leads to backyard-style football with Maye too often looking to play hero ball. Better risk management will be required of Maye against NFL defenses. An improved willingness to check the ball to his outlets would cut down on turnover-worthy plays.
That sometimes risky approach gives Maye a higher ceiling than Daniels or McCarthy, hence why the Commanders should target him. The much-improved, Heisman-winning Daniels would be an understandable decision at No. 2 as well. I simply have concerns with Daniels' ability to consistently go through his progressions while operating from the pocket. Daniels has struggled to execute more complex pro concepts on occasion. I ignored similar warning signs on Justin Fields coming out of Ohio State, and it's those flaws that have thus far doomed Fields at the next level.
Commanders general manager Adam Peters will make a franchise-altering decision on Thursday. The quarterback that Washington ultimately drafts will shape their next 10 campaigns. I'm still expecting that to be Daniels, but Maye would be my personal choice.